Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-04-14
EVERGLADE LIFE.
"A Region Which Is Virtually Un-
inhabited by Man.
The Tropical Character of tho thousand
Miles OF Gloom - Bird Life - The ALI
gator "Flotilla" Which Curiously
Follows Civilization.

gator "Flotilla" Which Curiously
Follows Civilization.
The Everglades of Southern Florida
comprise an area of A. o square miles.
Of this domain about two-thirds is gen.
orally regarded as irreclaimable. unin-
habitable. and almost impenetrable.
The Atlantic. washing the eastern
border, is shallow for miles from the
shore. There are no approaches invit-
ing to the traveller, few inducements
within to prolong his visit.
A section bordering the extreme
northern Everglades, comprising the
Lake Okeechobee region, is becoming
subjected to the uses of agriculture by
an extensive drainage system projected
by the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Canal
and Okeechobec Land Company. The
lake, covering an area of 1000 square
miles, was found to be twenty-five feet
above high tide, and by means of
canal connecting it with the Caloosa-
hatchee river on the west, its level has
been materially lowered, and Il system
of interior navigation made is now
open. As the water gradually lowers.
hundreds of thousands of acres of
land are exposed.
The vaster domain of The Everglades
lying to the south of Lake Okeechobee
may be regarded as IN aquatic jungle.
wild. weird, and tangled in wonderful
semi-tropic vegetation. intermingled
with masses of chaotic rocks. To say
that the Everglades are entirely i'm
spenetrable is not in accordance with
fact. 1t is true that the United States
Engineers have failed to explore the
region, as directed at various times by
the War Department.; also that the en-
terprise of the New York Herald. sue
7cessfully directed in other ventures,
tailed in the south of Florida. One
meets. however, an occasional adven-
.urous spirit who has penetrated the
Everglades and brought back wealth
Of incidents and sketches illustra-
live of his trip by sail and pad
lie. The most pretentious and
valuable exploration of the Everglades
yet made was projected by Major Ed
ward A. Burke, proprietor of the New
Orleans Timcs-Democrat. The cxpedi-
ton was conducted by Major A. P.
Williams. and consisted of dozen
men. canoes and sail-boats. The party
entered the Everglades ut the most
southern point of Lake Okeechobee.
running nearly straight line through
White Water bay on the southwest
coast of Florida. where it arrived after
twenty days. Much of the path through
the Glades had to be literally cut and
burned, owing to the excessive growth
of schrub willow, sawgrass. custard-
apple, etc. During the progress of the
party. eight rivers were discovered and
explored, and innumerable islands
named. Explorations by direction Of
Major Burke may be said to have been
more or less continuous in this region
during the past several years.
1t one had the advantage of an ele-
waited position at the camp of Tiger
Tail. and the same rare atmosphere
which pervades the valley of Great Salt
Lake. the spectacle visible for one
hundred miles to the south would diff
fer from any other to be seen on the
globe. A thousand square miles of
tall sawgrass would be seen spreading
out nearly in the shape of an artists
palette. Toward the far end would be
seen series of little inland lakes fed
a. L IL II
tenn having the appearance Of a cuttle-
fish. Interblending with the lakes
thousands of islands would be visible
far beyond the sawgrass sea. The
flutter of bird-life in the air would be
like the milky way at night, and the
sswarms of insects like a distant sand
storm on the Sahara. Such is the great
floating marsh of Florida, ocean-washed
on the east and south. cypress-barri-
-caded on the west
The Everglades present world of
vegetable life of a seni-trop;cal char
acter. The lndia-rubber-tree abounds
in sufficient growth to suggest its sub
lection to utility. Many of the trees
are of large size, varying from twenty
to fifty feet in height, and having diam
eters often exceeding two feet. Their
growth is suggestive of many purely
tropical species, the limbs bending over
and taking root in the soil When
notched they emit white fluid in large